Rhljazz, I feel with you. Had many similar experiences and it can really make me raving mad !!! I suppose my ear/brain is something rather sensitive and being endowed/cursed with absolute pitch, I often have to suffer. Most people,as you say, don't seem to bother. We audiophiles are indeed a rare breed, aren't we?
Cheers, |
Rhl, I felt the agony just reading yr post! About the sound & putting up with it: 1) the sound is so bad, dj's crank it up in order to hear what's going on (despite the use of 'phones) 2) I was astounded to hear recently that bad sound induces stress that, in turn, induces drinking -- i.e. more spending -- OR, makes people leave, hence opens up space for new consumption. I got this from a rest-bar owner! Go figure... |
I feel the same way about the local Best Buy. No, I don't buy my audio gear there but they are a last choice when I'm desperate for a cd that I can't find at my usual spots.
They have a bunch of 2" Bose satellites raised about 7' in the air pushed into distortion and somewhere they have the 'subwoofers' pounding away.
I plan my route directly to the section I need, grab the cd and head for the register. Altogether not a pleasant experience. |
Greg, what is a "rest-bar"...one where you're supposed to rest?? ...and I thought that getting thoroughly drunk was hard work.... |
Great Post! And timely as well. I was recently whiling away time at LaGuardia airport waiting for a flight when I saw an actual Bose display booth. They had those cute little Wave Radios which actually didn't sound so terrible although they are overpriced. But they also had one of their sub/sat setups there with the little cube speakers. It was very close to the worst sound I've ever heard! Granted, the acoustics weren't the best in an airport but shouldn't the manufacturer be aware of those limitations and take his crap elsewhere where it won't offend those of us with taste? The shopkeeper seemed genuinely befuddled by my lack of excitement and said I must be someone who is cursed with excellent hearing! Yeah...sure...poor slobs with less than perfect hearing must enjoy a combination of blatty screech and subwoofer flatulence... |
someone discovered several years ago that homeless people, transients, and others given similarly pejorative labels, are repelled by classical music (i'm not kidding, here). thus, the downtown macdonalds locations in denver (where i live) pipe out an endless selection of mozart, brahms, etc. i enjoy the sounds, 'til i recall why they are broadcast. it does seem to "work," BTW. there are no panhandlers or "shopping cart ladies" within a block of any of these "restaurants." the worst sound to which i'm subjected daily emanates from outdoor transducers slapped on the exterior of the hard rock cafe, a venue i pass each time i walk from my parking garage (under the hard rock) to my office. crazy thing is, more times than not, someone is standing close by the wretched speakers singing along. guess lipsynching must be as cool as spiked blue and red hair and 4" tatoos of the iron cross. -kelly |
Two beers? Sounds like you did the right thing and got out of there fast!
Sad part is, if they let you put in the sound system, I bet some patrons would wonder what happened to those 'rockin speakers you used to have?' |
Why do all these people sit in these places? Booze and a new peice of ass! |
Nevermind the bad sound....If it was as loud as you say I would be concearned about my precious hearing. |
I agree with Liguy, I worry about my hearing in those conditions. But I don't let bad speakers bother me anymore. Everyone is different and some things matter more to others. I mean, I don't insist on gourmet meals every night, Ramen noodle is fine with me many times. And if the sound is ok to them then so be it. Lastly, could someone tell me what BTW stands for? I feel like an idiot for not being able to figure it out yet based on the contexts its used. No one ever told me IMO or IMHO, but for some reason I caught those. |
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Thanks Elgordo. I kept thinking the B stood for But and then something. Its weird how our minds work puzzles. I've noticed like on those word jumbles in the paper--it seems if I don't get them within the first few seconds it becomes harder and harder to get them. Now in the end I always get them--worst case I resort to a matrix (line up all the possible combinations), but... |
Detlof, "restaurant-bar"; getting drunk is indeed hard work -- but thoroughly rewarding, don't you find? |
Yes, while your at it Greg, but later.....its like buying high end gear, which you cannot really afford and your lady finds out......oh the headache.... |
Quoth They Might Be Giants:
Full bottle in front of me
Time to roll up my sleeves
And get to work
And after many glasses
Of work
I get paid
In the brain |
to most people who hang out at bars/clubs, if the volume is loud and the bass is outrageously over-exagerated, it sounds great! I avoid going to a place where I can't be heard without shouting in someone's ear. We are indeed a curse race! |
Curse, course or cursed Pm? |
The patrons in the bar could care less what the sound of the music is like. They are their merely to drink. Period!!You on the other hand obviously care about your sound and probably own a good system, so it's only natural that the sound in the bar would matter to ya! |
The worst "sound system" (widely conceived) for me is the nerve-ripping sound of the brakes of the trains for the Frankfurt subway system (and do these subway drivers have heavy feet!)--the screech can even make the nerves in my teeth hurt on a rainy day. What is curious is how people in the subway try to talk to me through my earplugs (never travel without them), almost magnetically drawn to me for directions and random remarks. There must be some comfort in not being heard. And, to top it off, when the brakes are in high screech mode on the train what does a pale-faced traveller inevitably do, with a look as if they are about to faint or fall dead in suffocation? They open the windows to get some fresh air (one cannot underestimate the irrationality of the German compulsion to "air things out"--the "Beluftungs-Prinzip"), as if there were fresh air 50 ft underneath Frankfurt! Nobody minds as the stale stink of rotten stagnation seeps in and the loudness of the ear-piercing screeches increased to ear-damaging levels. What a rant! |
Worst product design...Sylvania receiver (circa late 1972). My dad worked for them, and higher power receivers (50 wpc) were starting to be introduced due to transistor cicuitry. Employee discounts were HUGE, I was a freshman at U. Miami (Fla.) and I wanted to rock the dorm! When the FM multiplex IC went bad, a buddy and I replaced it. Disassembly proceedure: remove several mounting screws from both front and back panels, disconnect and remove the front (control) and back (input/output rca jacks) panels connected via MUTIPLE JUMPER CABLES, remove the power transformer WHICH WAS BOLTED DIRECTLY TO THE WOOD CABINET (I kid you not!...more jumper cables!) Slide the circuit board (only one HUGE flimsy board...no sub boards) out of either end of the now hollow (open ended) wood cabinet! This board was also not mounted on any kind of metal chasis! Disassemble/reassemble time 1 hour plus! And this from a company that built electronics for the defense industry! |
